Kiln accessory



F. T.l KELLEHER ET Al.

Nov. l1,

KILN ACCESSORY Filed'April s, 1924 Patented Nov. 1l, 1924.

FRANK T. KELLEHER AND SAMUEL R. BROWN, OF BEND, OREGON.

KILN ACCESSORY.

Application filed April 3,

T aZZ whom t may concer/n e it known that we, FRANK T. KELLEHER andSAMUEL BROWN, citizens of the 4United States of America, residing' atBend, in the county of Deschutes and State of Oregon, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Kiln Accessories; and we dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription of the'invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. l

This invention relates to improvements in kiln accessories, having foran object to provide a novel form of sticker, commonly employed in thekiln drying of lumber, whereby the lumber when loaded onto a truck orsimilar device will be spaced, in order that circulation of the heatedair therebe veen may be effected, the invention having for an object toprovide a sticker of hollow metal construction which when positionedbetween the lumber will permit of an even greater circulation of heatedair therebetween, as well as afford a. number of highly advantageousfeatures to be presently set out.

In the drying kilns now employed for drying lumber, stickers areemployed for separating and producing air circulating ways between thelumber. These stickers are constructed of strips of wood, square orsubstantially square in cross section and preterabiy formed of fir orspruce, costing from ten to twenty vcents apiece. wWhile the stickersthus constructed will serve to space the lumber, they will, with usageupon an average of three trips through a kiln, become excedingly brittleand charred, thus entailing aE considerable loss by breakage withhandling or unstacking of the dried lumber; also, the stickers7 willshrink unevenly and in consequence,- fall from between the dried ordrying lumber, often timesl breaking and seriously interfering withmovement of the lumber supporting truck. A further disadvantage of usingthe wooden stickers is that the same will cause uneven drying of .lumberbecause of the fact that those portions of the lumber adjacent or(,'ontacting with the stickers will not be reached by the drying heat,and there-fore, will result in the presence of wet spots in the finishedlumber. Ey the use of our improved sticker, the above noteddisadvantages are removed. The hollow metal sticker possesses 1924.Serial N0. 704,077.

ay maximum potential strength and will be seldom broken, notwithstandingits subjection toI rough usagegwfurther, should the saine be bent, itcanbe readily and quickly straightened, Additionally, by reason of thestickers.

@ther .objects of the invention will be `in part obvious, and in partpointed out hereinafter.

ln order thatthe invention and its mode of application or use may bereadily understood by persons skilled in the art, we have in theaccompanying illustrative drawings, and in theV detailed followingdescription based thereupon, set out one possi-ble embodiment of thesame.

In these drawings:

Figure l is an end elevation of a truck having lumber' supported thereonand held in spaced relation by the improved stickers, and, p

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail in perspective of one of theysticker-s.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection withwhich .like characters of reference will designate corresponding partsthroughout, the reference letter T-designates a lumber carrying kilntruck having vertically disposed side stanchions or arms s rigidlyconnected to the opposite sides thereof whereby to permit the stackingof the lumber Z upon the same, either in edgewise relation, as shown inthe Figure l, or in horizontal positions, as may be requireds The lumberZ in being ystacked upon the truck T is separated, when stackededgewise, as shown in this embodiment of the invention, into verticaldivisions or columns, whereby the heated air in the kiln will bepermitted to circulate through and between such ways and in consequence,be brought into contact with the lumber Z in course of drying.

To retain the lumber in these separated columns or divisions, ourimproved sticker preferably, substantially square in" cross4 f in;the'.v Figure :2.1' Becausei section, aslsliei of the hollowconstruction or formation of the tube l, it Will be understood thatan"air` circulating Way Will be provided through the same, and inconsequence, With' positioning of the improved sticker between thelumber Z, a` greaterivolume'ofdrying air will be permitted" to'circulate byv and' between such"` lumber, therebyA expediting the dryingofl'the same.y Furthermore, it Willbe understood that' becau'seof theVpassage of heated air through?the'vv'ayvv 2 provided for` by the hollowsticker l, the sides of such sticker Willbecome heatedto a degree cor#responding yte the temperature ofnthe heated dryi'ng air! Within thekiln, and'` in conf sequence,y the metal of"` the sticker will servey todirectly transmit heat to those portions of the lumberlcontactingiWitli-the sides of sucli sticker Hence, such contactingportions ofthe lumber Will be etl'ec tuallyI dried, andiinconsequencethe'pres-- ence of! Wet spots ,in lumber at 'thosefpointsengaged'by stickers Will'be avoided. In thisfconnection, itshouldvbefmentionedy that in the forms ofi stickers novv generallyused'in .lumberf drying; uneven .drying of the lumber is brought.aboutbecause ofthe fact that those portions ofthe: lumber engagingorcontacting With-the sidesoflthestickers7 employed Will be preventedfrjoinliav-ingthe proper drying heat appliedthereto, being bornein=1nindfthat theselstickers areof solid construction and formed of WoodIt is to be alsounderstoodthat the construction of our improved stickersuch as will render the ysame.ex'ceedingly durable, and therefore,prolong; the. periodoffusage of: the same;4 Breaking of the stickersduring liandlingofftlie saine will be reduced to minimum; andfurthermore,.warping or shrinkinglof' such stickersff as is'the casewith the Wooden stickers noivfgenerally used, Will be. positively`prevented. Should, however, the stickers become'bent, because of extremerough usage, the same, vot course, r

may'bereadily straightened:

The tubing from which the improved sticker is constructed may be of anyWell knownand approvedtype or.` grade, it being preferable to employthat form of tubing Where-in the jointure between the meeting ends ofthe same are spot-welded or similarly joined, in order to prevent theappearance or presence of seams upon theadj acentwalls thereof. Inconsefpience,- flush engagement ofthe stickers with the lumber upon allof'its Wallsavill be secured.`

A sticker constructed" in accordance With the invention, ofcourse, maybe formed of diitlierent lengths, suc-h as conditions or preference maydictate, and in positioning the same betvfeen the lumber Z, the usualmei s fer securingA such lumber in its stac d'p'osition, may beemployed, such-for example, tying chains 3 having the usual separablefasteners t'yinterposed'tlierein and a, contractile coiled spring 5preferably interposed in one of said' tying ch'ains 3 whereby to secure'a yieldable engagement or connectionas between such lumber and'saidtying chains.-

Manifestly, the constructionshown is capable of considerablemodification, and such modification as is Within the scope of ourclaims, We consider Within the spirit of our invention.

TW@ claim ll A lumber sticker comprising elongatedhollow body.

A lumber sticker comprisinga hollmv elongated body having the oppositesides thereof flattened.

3'. A lumber sticker comprising a tubular nietalb'ody having the variousside walls thereof flattened.'

4S; A lumber sticker comprising an elongated tubular metal body havingthe sidestliereof flattened and free of" seams.

nrvitness whereof we haveherelnitb set our hands.

FRANK T. KELLEHER. SAMUEL Rl BROl/VN.

